Journal article
Local Weak Ferromagnetism in Single-Crystalline Ferroelectric BiFeO3
Rutgers University1
Nano-Microstructures in Materials, Materials Research Division, Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical University of Denmark2
Materials Research Division, Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical University of Denmark3
Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical University of Denmark4
National Institute of Standards and Technology5
University of Maryland, College Park6
Korea Atomic Research Institute7
Polarized small-angle neutron scattering studies of single-crystalline multiferroic BiFeO3 reveal a long-wavelength spin density wave generated by ∼1° spin canting of the spins out of the rotation plane of the antiferromagnetic cycloidal order. This signifies weak ferromagnetism within mesoscopic regions of dimension 0.03 microns along [11̅ 0], to several microns along [111], confirming a long-standing theoretical prediction.
The average local magnetization is 0.06 μB/Fe. Our results provide an indication of the intrinsic macroscopic magnetization to be expected in ferroelectric BiFeO3 thin films under strain, where the magnetic cycloid is suppressed.
Language: | English |
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Year: | 2011 |
Pages: | 207206 |
ISSN: | 10797114 and 00319007 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.207206 |